Illuminated table tent

ABSTRACT

An illuminated table tent comprises a transparent shell with an elongate light source, adapted to direct light radially through surfaces of the transparent shell, maintained within the interior of the shell. A menu or other semitransparent or translucent document is interposed between the light source and insider surface of the transparent shell. A pressure switch is biased in an extended position from a bottom surface of the table tent base to turn the lights on when the weight of the table tent is lifted from the switch, and closes to turn the light source off when the table tent rests on the supporting surface and the switch is in a retracted position flush with the bottom surface of the table tent base. The table tent back-lights the menu for viewing only when the table tent is picked up and passed around, or turned over to form an always-on lantern; otherwise, the table tent is automatically maintained in an off position to save on battery power.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to table tents and more particularly tomenu holders that are automatically back-illuminated when picked up.

Table tents are document holders found on the tables of establishmentssuch as restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and the like. A typical tabletent is a plastic frame and base that sandwiches an information card,such as the happy hour specials, between two planar/transparent uprightmembers. The table tent serves two main purposes: to protect theinformation card, and to present the card for easy reading and in anattractive form so that patrons of the establishment are encouraged toorder menu or drink items listed on that card.

Some establishments are dimly lit to create a certain ambiance, but thispresents a problem in that table tents are difficult to read withoutsufficient light. Raising the lights would destroy the ambiance.Providing always-on localized light at the table tent is wastefulbecause the patron may only be periodically interested in theinformation on the card throughout their stay at the establishment.

Accordingly, the need remains for an attractive and useful alternativeto standard table tents that address the drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic operation of the invention is to provide back-light to a menuor other written indicia when the menu is picked up off of the table.The menu can be printed out on transparent or translucent material suchas vellum. The vellum sheet is then curled into a cylinder and slippedwithin a transparent (e.g. plastic) cylindrical outer shell so that itrests against the inside of the shell.

The outer shell is coupled to a bottom circular fitting or base thatholds the batteries. An elongated light source passes up through an axisof the circular fitting and into the interior space formed by thecylindrical outer shell. When the upper and lower parts of the deviceare coupled together (to form a “table tent”), the elongated lightpasses up along the long axis of the cylinder to illuminate the menufrom behind.

A pressure switch located on an underside of the circular fitting isbiased toward an extended position that extends beyond the bottomsurface of the fitting. The weight of the table tent normally keeps thepressure switch in a retracted position whereby the switch and light areoff. When the table tent is picked up off of the table, however, thepressure switch pops out to thereby turn on the elongated light whichhas the effect of backlighting the menu. In this way, the table tent isautomatically illuminated only when of interest, e.g. when picked up andinspected, without the patron needing to fumble for an on-off switch.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will become more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention that proceedswith reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the illuminated table tent, implementedaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and shown inexploded form to show the assembly of all parts.

FIG. 1B is a partially assembled version of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a fully assembled version of the invention of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the base of the illuminated table to ofFIG. 1A turned upside down with a bottom plate exploded outward so thatthe power source and pressure switch can be seen.

FIG. 3B is a schematic view of the light source, power source, andpressure switch device of the invention with the switch shown in anextended/on position.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate alternate geometric configurations of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A illustrates the various elements that comprise a preferredembodiment of the illuminated table tent 10 shown in exploded form alonga long axis 12.

Illuminated table tent 10 includes a menu display section 14 comprisinga transparent cylindrical shell 16 sealed on a top end by opaque cap 18.Shell 16 can be formed of any suitable transparent material, such asglass or plastic, that allows a menu or other document inserted behindit to be read. An opaque fitting 20 is coupled to a bottom of thecylindrical shell 16 and forms a portion of the table tent base on whichthe table tent rests. The menu display section 14 defines a hollowinterior into which is received remaining portions of the table tent 10,including menu 22, an outer light diffuser 24, an inner light refractor26, and a light/power source section 28. Finally, a lower end cap 30seals the hollow interior and completes the assembly. These featureswill be further described below.

The transparent cylindrical shell is configured to retain asemitransparent or translucent document, such as menu 22, against aninside surface of the cylindrical shell. Menu 22 includes indicia 32printed on its surface with a different level of transparency to thebackground of the menu so that the indicia can be read when backlit. Itwill be appreciated that the indicia 32 of the menu 22 can form apositive image so that the letters, numbers, pictures, etc. appeardarker than the background and therefore block more of the lightilluminating the menu from behind. Alternately, the indicia of the menu22 can form a negative image so that the background is darker and theindicia 32 is more transparent and thus appears lighter when read.

In a preferred embodiment, the menu 22 is formed of a translucentmaterial such as vellum that is easily printed upon, is durable, and iseasily bendable into a cylinder as shown in the figures. The menu 22shown is formed of a rectangular sheet having height and widthdimensions that allow the sheet to be fully inserted within the hollowinterior of the menu display section 14. Preferably, the menu 22 onwhich the indicia 32 is printed has a height H_(M) that is approximatelyequal to the height H_(D) of the transparent cylindrical shell 16.Furthermore, the width W_(M) of the menu is approximately equal to acircumference of an inner surface of the transparent cylindrical shell16. It is preferred, therefore, that the menu and table tent be sized sothat the following dimensions are closely approximate:

H_(M)≈H_(D)  (1)

W_(M)≈2πR,  (2)

where R is a radius of the cylindrical shell 16 inner surface asmeasured from a long axis 12. The advantage of these dimensions is thatthe entirety of the menu is then visible through the transparent windowof the cylindrical shell. A smaller menu would create gaps through whichillumination would pass, thus interfering with the aesthetics of thetable tent. Similarly, a larger menu would either not fit within thehollow interior or be rolled up so that portions of the menu overlap andthus obscure other parts of the menu from view.

The lower opaque fitting 20 of the menu display section 14 includes aninwardly extending annular ledge 34 of radius r (where r<R) and isadapted support the menu 22 within the hollow interior of thecylindrical shell when inserted therein. In use, the rectangular menu isrolled up into a cylinder as shown in FIG. 1A and inserted through theaperture 36 formed within the bottom of the menu display section 14. Themenu is then allowed to naturally uncurl until the outer surface of themenu 22 rests against the inside surface of the transparent cylindricalshell 16. The menu, when inserted within the interior cavity of thetable tent, is also allowed to rest against a top of the annular ledge34 so that the menu is prevented from falling out the bottom 36 of themenu display section 14 as shown in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 1A also illustrates a light diffuser 24, an elongated lightrefractor 26, and a light/power source section 28 forming a base of theilluminated table tent 10. Light diffuser 24 includes an elongatecylindrical shell 38 that is formed of light diffusing materials, suchas a translucent vellum or plastic, and is coupled at a bottom end to aflange 40. Flange 40 has three cutouts 42 spaced on the peripheral edgeof the flange that align with apertures 43 formed through thelight/power source section 28. The lower end cap 30 is affixed tolight/power source section 28 via screws 48 passing through apertures44, 46 formed in section 28 and end cap 30, respectively. Section 28 isaffixed to the underside of annular ledge 34 via allen head screws 49passing through the apertures 43 and aligned cutouts 42. All sections ofthe illuminated table tent 10 would then be coupled together by acombination of screws 48 and 49 passing up through apertures 43, 44, 46and cutouts 42, and up into the underside of the annular shelf 34 withinthe menu display section 14. An illustration of the fully assembledilluminated table tent 10 is shown in FIG. 2.

Lower section 28 is adapted to contain the power source and light sourceas shown in more detail in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The light source, in thepreferred embodiment, comprises one or more low-power LED lights 50mounted on a top surface 52 of the lower light/power source section 28that are configured to shine upward along the axis 12 of the cylindricalshell 16. The elongate light refractor 26 is disposed along thecylindrical shell axis 12 and is positioned to receive the upwardlydirected light from the LED lights 50. Light passing up through thelength of refractor 26 is refracted outward radially from the axis 12and toward the walls of the transparent cylindrical shell 16. Anembodiment of the refractor 26 takes the form of a cylindrical bar andis marketed under the name Refractor Rod™ by Coast Products of Portland,Oreg. As light from light source 50 is redirected radially along asubstantial portion of the cylindrical shell height H_(D), theredirected light acts to evenly back-light a menu 22 retained againstthe transparent cylindrical shell 16. The radially directed light isfurther evened out by the use of a translucent diffuser 24 interposedbetween light refractor 26 and the menu 22. Other sources of light arecontemplated such as LED light bars.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the power source and its coupling to a lightsource through a switch to automatically turn the lights on or off. Thepower source is mounted within base 28. In the embodiment shown, thepower source includes a set of AA batteries 54 a, 54 b that are coupledin series via a circuit 56 to power the lights 50.

A pressure switch 58, coupled to the circuit 56, is mounted within thebase 28 and configured to activate when the illuminated table tent 10 islifted from contact with a supporting surface 60 as shown in FIG. 3B. Inthe preferred embodiment shown, pressure switch 58 is biased to anextended position through an aperture 62 formed through the lower endcap 30 so that the button 64 extends beyond the planar bottom surface ofthe lower end cap 30. In this extended position, the pressure switchcompletes the circuit between the lights 50 and batteries 54 a, 54 b sothat the lights are activated/on.

The bias of the pressure switch 58 is configured, however, so that thebutton 64 retracts into the aperture 62 and is flush with the bottomsurface of the lower end cap 30 when the table tent is rested onsupporting surface 60. The weight of the table tent 10 causes the buttonto move to a retracted position (not shown) to interrupt the circuitbetween the lights 50 and batteries 54 a, 54 b so that the lights aredeactivated/off.

Other switches are possible that may serve the same function. Solidstate pressure switches, light detectors, and the like may be configuredto activate when the illuminated table tent is lifted from contact withthe supporting surface to activate the light source so that the lightsource is turned on, otherwise interrupting the connection between thelight source and the power source so that the light source is turnedoff. Other contemplated switches would incorporate a touch sensitiveswitch or strip.

In summary, with the pressure switch activated—that is, when the weightof the device causes the switch to be pushed in—the light is off. Whenthe pressure switch is deactivated—that is, when the menu-holder deviceis picked up from the table so that the switch pops out—then thebacklight turns on. The menu can then be passed from patron to patron ina dark bar so that the menu items can be read all around thecircumference of the menu holder/table tent. In the case of a poweroutage, the table-tent can be turned upside down so that it becomes alantern on the table. When the table-tent is placed right side up, theweight of the device pushes the pressure switch back in to turn out thelight.

Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in apreferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the inventioncan be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from suchprinciples. For instance, although the cylindrical structure of theilluminated table tent is preferred, other geometric forms arecontemplated such as the box form (FIG. 4), the conical form (FIG. 5)and the pyramidal form (FIG. 6). We claim all modifications andvariation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

1. An illuminated table tent comprising: a transparent cylindrical shellconfigured to retain a semitransparent or translucent document againstan inside surface of the cylindrical shell, said cylindrical shellhaving an axis passing up through a center of the cylindrical shell; abase coupled to a bottom of the transparent cylindrical shell andadapted to rest on a supporting surface; a power source mounted withinthe base; a light source, coupled to the power source, within aninterior of the cylindrical shell and configured to direct lightradially from within the cylindrical shell through exterior surfaces ofthe cylindrical shell so that the document retained against thetransparent cylindrical shell is back-lit; and a switch mounted withinthe base and configured to activate when the illuminated table tent islifted from contact with the supporting surface to activate the lightsource so that the light source is turned on, otherwise interrupting theconnection between the light source and the power source so that thelight source is turned off.
 2. The illuminated table tent of claim 1,wherein the switch is a pressure switch having an extended position thatactivates the light source and a retracted position that deactivates thelight source, the pressure source being biased in an extended positionso that a weight of the table tent resting on the supporting surfacemaintains the biased pressure switch in the retracted position butlifting the table tent from contact with the supporting surface allowsthe biased pressure switch to move to its extended position where thelight source is activated.
 3. The illuminated table tent of claim 2,wherein the light source includes: one or more lights mounted within atop surface of the base, and configured to shine upward along the axisof the cylindrical shell through an elongate refractor; and the elongaterefractor being disposed within the transparent cylindrical shell alonga substantial length of the axis thereof and configured to diffuselight, shining from the lights through a long axis of the refractor, inan radial direction along a length of the refractor so that the documentretained against the transparent cylindrical shell is back-lit by thelight source shining through the refractor.
 4. The illuminated tabletent of claim 1, wherein the light source includes: one or more lightsmounted within a top surface of the base, and configured to shine upwardalong the axis of the cylindrical shell through an elongate refractor;and the elongate refractor being disposed within the transparentcylindrical shell along a substantial length of the axis thereof andconfigured to diffuse light, shining from the lights through a long axisof the refractor, in an radial direction along a length of the refractorso that the document retained against the transparent cylindrical shellis back-lit by the light source shining through the refractor.
 5. Theilluminated table tent of claim 4, further including a cylindricaldiffuser interposed between the elongate refractor and thesemitransparent or translucent document.
 6. The illuminated table tentof claim 1, further including an inwardly extending ledge at a bottom ofthe cylindrical transparent shell on which the semitransparent ortranslucent document is supported.
 7. The illuminated table tent ofclaim 1 wherein the table tent and document are sized so that a heightH_(M) of the transparent cylindrical shell is approximately equal to aheight H_(D) of the document and a circumference at the inside surfaceof the cylindrical shell is approximately equal to a width of thedocument.
 8. An illuminated table tent comprising: a transparentdisplay; a base coupled to a bottom of the transparent display; a lightsource spaced from the transparent display; a semitransparent ortranslucent document interposed between the transparent display andlight source; and a pressure switch coupled to the light source todeactivate the light source when the illuminated table tent rests on asupporting surface, otherwise activating the light source so that thedocument is illuminated for viewing through the transparent display. 9.The illuminated table tent of claim 8, wherein the transparent displayis a cylindrical shell, the document being curled up against an insidersurface of the cylindrical shell so that the document is retainedthereby, and the light source passes up through a long axis of thecylindrical shell.
 10. The illuminated table tent of claim 9, whereinthe table tent and document are sized so that a height H_(M) of thetransparent cylindrical shell is approximately equal to a height H_(D)of the document and a circumference at the inside surface of thecylindrical shell is approximately equal to a width of the document. 11.The illuminated table tent of claim 8, wherein the transparent displayis a geometric form including one selected from a group consisting of abox, cone, or pyramid, with one or more documents being retained againstone or more inside surfaces of the geometric form.
 12. The illuminatedtable tent of claim 8, wherein the light source includes: one or morelights mounted within a top surface of the base, and configured to shineupward along an axis of the transparent display through an elongaterefractor; and the elongate refractor being disposed within thetransparent display along a substantial length of the axis thereof andconfigured to diffuse light, shining from the lights through a long axisof the refractor, in a radial direction along a length of the refractorso that the document retained against the transparent cylindrical shellis back-lit by the light source shining through the refractor.
 13. Theilluminated table tent of claim 12, further including a diffuserinterposed between the elongate refractor and the semitransparent ortranslucent document.